9 – Diagon Alley
Two days later they all were ready down in the kitchen at 11 am. They would disapparate to the Diagon Alley, do their shopping and then go back home.
"Everyone ready?" James asked.
"'Ait a m'nut." Sirius said and finished chewing.
"Huh?" Joey asked.
Lily gave him a disgusted look and James grinned.
"Wait a minute," Sirius said more clearly now. He quickly ate the rest of his toast and smiled, "Ready."
"Great," James said and grabbed Lily and they disapparated to Diagon Alley together.
Next he opened his eyes and found himself in the middle of Diagon Alley with Lily by his side. Joey and Sirius apparated next to them. Not many people were to be seen. Most of them walked in groups of three or more and looked nervous.
"So, what do we need?" Sirius asked and looked at his paper.
"Books," James said and headed towards Flourish & Blotts with Lily.
Joey and Sirius quickly followed. Inside the store was a bit dusty and the bookshelves reached all the way to the ceiling. They all got a book for Charms, DADA and Transfiguration. Lily, James and Sirius bought a book for Potions. James and Sirius had Care of Magical Creatures and bought a book for that too. Joey and Lily both got the books for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes.
They left the bookstore with heavy bags and headed towards Madam Malkins to get new robes. Half an hour later they had all gotten new robes for their last year at Hogwarts. Joey and Lily used the presence of the boys to make them carry their bags once again. James had just shrugged and grabbed Lily's bags, but it took a bit longer for Joey to make Sirius carry her bags.
"Look at James! He's a gentleman. Carrying Lily's bags and all," she complained.
"Yeah," was Sirius' response. "But he's also James Potter; gentleman and helpful to others. I'm Sirius Black; only thinking about myself and how I'm going to make the next girl sleep with me."
James burst into laughter and Lily just looked disgusted at Sirius.
Joey showed the white of her eyes. "Just do it! Perhaps it actually would help if you carried some girls' bags."
"To be polite and helpful?" Sirius asked with raised eyebrows.
"Believe it or not, but some girls actually want that." Joey nodded.
Sirius sighed and grabbed Joey's bags. "But if it doesn't help when I try it, you owe me one."
"I promise you it does," Joey grinned.
James grinned at the thought of Joey teaching Sirius how to get girls, but thought somehow it was a good lecture for him. Lily seemed to think the same as she watched Sirius walk up the street with four bags and Joey walking lightly next to him with a smile on her lips. They both shook their heads and followed.
At last Lily, James and Sirius only had to go and buy new ingredients to Potions. James and Sirius needed to re-stock a bit more than Lily; mostly because they had brewed several banned or illegal potions to use to pranks through the years.
As James picked up extra liver from a mouse he couldn't resist the urge to throw it after Sirius. It hit him right in the face. Lily had not seen Sirius throw it back at James, and when he dodged it hit her instead.
Lily turned her head towards James extremely slowly. Her eyes were burning.
"It was Sirius," James croaked from the floor with hands over his head.
Lily picked up the liver from the floor and threw it at Sirius with such speed he couldn't react and the liver hit him right in the middle of his face. James grinned and conjured a wet napkin to help Lily dry the liver from her cheek. Lily grinned at Sirius who spat on the floor and couldn't hold a grin back either. They quickly paid for the ingredients and left the store.
"That was so embarrassing!" Lily exclaimed as they got out.
"I think it was rather fun," James said, remembering the liver in Sirius's mouth. "And you threw the liver too, remember?"
Joey laughed. "That was one of the best things you have ever done, Lily."
"Yeah!" James agreed.
Lily blushed, but smiled.
"It wasn't funny at all," Sirius said seriously and made a disgusted face.
"Oh my god! If this ever gets around at Hogwarts no girl will ever kiss you again, Sirius," Lily said and grinned.
Sirius turned pale. "You just shut it!"
James grinned. "That would be a nightmare. But don't worry, I won't tell anyone… yet."
"Good," Sirius grinned, he knew James was joking.
They walked a little further up Diagon Alley. Lily and Joey stopped at a few places to look at quills and other stuff.
"Hey, we could go look at brooms, Prongs?" Sirius asked as he saw Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"Sure," James said and they headed towards Quality Quidditch Supplies.
The two boys dragged the girls along into the shop. The shop was filled up and James even eyed some familiar faces from Hogwarts. He and Sirius made their way through a specific crowd towards the brooms.
"Look at that!" Sirius suddenly exclaimed.
James looked at what Sirius was pointing at. It was an all new broom from the Nimbus-series.
"It's the new Nimbus 1001!"
"Wow," Sirius sighed.
"Made of oak and streamlined…" James said out of breath as he red the sign next to it.
Lily pushed him slightly. "It's just a broom, James."
"A really good one…"
Joey made her way through the crowd and stood beside Sirius.
"Wow. The new Nimbus!" she sighed. "Mine is the 1000 model… I'd give everything to get one like that!"
"That's a good broom you have, Joey," James said. "Mine is the Comet 180… It's no good anymore."
James let his hand slide from the handle to the tail twigs. It really seemed like a good broom.
"James…" Sirius's voice came from somewhere that seemed very far away.
James removed his gaze from the broom and looked at Sirius instead. "Yeah?"
"You just seemed so lost in the broom. It's a long time since I have seen you give that gaze to anything other than Lily," Sirius said and looked from the broom to James.
James saw Lily blush uncontrollable and turn away. She pretended she had not heard and said something to Joey.
"Shut up, Padfoot," James said concerned while watching Lily before he looked at the broom again.
Sirius just grinned.
James studied the tail twigs and then sighed. "I could use a new broom…" he said slowly.
"Prongs, your broom is fine," Sirius said.
"It's getting old, and if I want to make the Quidditch team this year I need a better broom."
"James, you always make the Quidditch Team," Joey said. "I'm actually surprised you didn't become Captain."
"I'll buy it," James said, more to himself than anyone else.
Joey and Sirius sighed. Lily was still looking away. "If you have to," Sirius said and shrugged.
"Then you might have a chance of beating me in we race," Joey teased.
"You only win because you're smaller and not as heavy as me," James said. "And I don't see a Quidditch Captain badge on your chest either."
"I'm only in my third year of being keeper. You have been on the team since our second year. There's a bigger chance you would be chosen than me."
"Whatever you say," James said. "I'll just go pay for the broom."
He turned around and walked away from Joey and Sirius. Lily was dragged away behind him.
"Ouch!" she suddenly exclaimed and James turned around.
"Sorry."
"No, it wasn't you," Lily said and looked at the big man who had bumped into her.
"Okay…" James said and looked at her. "Sorry for what Sirius said before," he said before he could stop himself.
Lily blushed yet again, but this time she didn't look away.
"It's okay. I guess it was just a statement…" Lily said slowly, then added, "Or what?"
Now it was James's turn to blush a bit, and what was with the gaze Lily sent him when she asked? It didn't seem like it used to when they were talking about James's crush on her. James tried to read her gaze, it seemed… hopeful, was that it? Maybe he was just fooling himself because he was so desperate to find any sign of it.
"Lily, my feelings for you have not changed. I hope that someday you can accept that…" he said after some time.
"I have accepted it for years, it's just the way you tackle it… The way you ask and act. It's-… Do you get what I mean?" Lily sighed at last.
James nodded. "Yeah, I think I do."
So Lily was not mad at him because he liked her. That was something he could stick with. The only thing he had to be better at was the comments, which sometimes flew out of his mouth before he could stop himself. And he probably had to be nicer towards Snape too…
"Good…" Lily said slowly.
They were both quite for some seconds, just standing and look at each other.
"Sorry," James said. "For the way I have acted towards you the last few years…"
Lily smiled. "It's okay. The fact that you're saying sorry shows that you know it was wrong. You really have grown. And I'm sorry for being so mean to you."
Now it was James's turn to smile. "You're truly full of surprises, Lily Evans."
"So are you, James Potter," Lily grinned.
They stood for a couple of seconds again, just looking at each other, before Lily was the first to speak.
"Should we go get that broom of yours?"
"Sure," James grinned.
They both continued through the crowd and James paid for the broom and got a long package with him out of the store. Joey and Sirius stood outside waiting.
"What took you so long?" Sirius asked.
"We just started talking and then time flew past," James said.
Sirius looked at James a few seconds. "Okay," he said slowly.
Joey grinned. "Do we need anything more, or is that all?"
Lily looked at Joey for a second. "No, I don't think so."
"We go back then?" James asked.
They all nodded. "Great!" Sirius said and grabbed his and Joey's bags and disapparated back with Joey by his arm.
James and Lily looked at each other before they disapparated back.
When they apparated in the kitchen the first thing James saw were Joey's bags lying on the ground. He looked up and saw that Sirius had opened the fridge and was now looking inside for something edible.
As Sirius appeared from behind the fridge door he had a big chicken wing in one hand and half a cucumber in the other. He was chewing something James assumed was chicken because of the piece on his chin.
"Ew…" Lily said and gave Sirius another disgusted look.
"Whath?" Sirius asked and managed to spit some chicken right on the James's cheek.
James looked dissatisfied at Sirius with a sarcastic smile on his face. He slowly dried the chicken of his cheek.
"Thanks," he said and dried the chicken of his hand and onto his pants.
"You're welcome!" Sirius said and smiled.
He took a bite out of the cucumber and looked once again into the fridge for something to drink.
James shook his head and moved with Lily and Joey over to the table and sat down.
"Oh, and by the way…" Sirius said and closed the fridge. "Don't you think we should throw Wormtail a party soon? It was his birthday two weeks ago."
"Sure…" James said slowly. "But it has to be before my parents get home… And that will be in five days."
"Hmm… Friday?" Sirius asked.
James shrugged. "Yeah," he said and looked at Joey and Lily. "I guess you'll be there too?"
"I can see I have to," Lily said.
"I'll be there too. Can we invite Alice, Mary and Janine?" Joey asked, referring to three other girls in Gryffindor in their year.
"Yeah," Sirius said and smiled. "And more girls if you want to!"
James grinned and shook his head.
